I was at an investment conference recently and a question was put to the panel of VCs, ‘Does B Corps certification factor in your investment decision-making or is it just a PR badge?’’
Fair question. The B Corp movement has been under scrutiny lately, with high-profile companies losing certification and critics questioning whether it’s more marketing than meaningful change. But for us—an international PR firm helping brands navigate sustainability—the decision to certify was about accountability and challenging ourselves on how our business should be run.
That didn’t make it easy.
As a newly merged agency, our road to B Corp certification was complex, and, at times, frustrating. One of the firms in our group, the corporate purpose led agency Gong Communications, had been B Corp certified since 2017 and was already operating within its framework. The other, the consumer digital innovation firm Cherish PR, essentially shared the same values but hadn’t formalised them. That meant aligning policies, rethinking processes, and, most importantly, bringing two teams on the journey.
Anyone who’s been through B Corp certification will tell you: the admin is no joke. It is rigorous, and rightly so. You need documentation on everything from supply chains to office recycling. For half our team, this was business as usual. For the other half, it was a steep learning curve. But the bigger challenge wasn’t bureaucracy—it was culture.
B Corp forces you to rethink how you define success, beyond profit. You need to prove your impact on employee wellbeing, sustainability, and governance. And that meant answering tough questions. Should we turn down clients that don’t align with our ethics? Do we keep working with more sustainable suppliers even if it costs more? How do we balance financial performance with purpose-driven decision-making? These are challenging questions particularly against the reality of running a PR firm in a competitive market.
There were also unexpected challenges. While we had a superb project lead overseeing certification, someone who had already been through one certification and a recertification with us for Gong, the process required input from almost everyone in the team at some stage. Gathering data, reviewing policies, documenting everything from pay structures to client contracts and, amending our Articles —it’s time consuming and requires intent. And while we believed we already ran an ethical, well-governed business, we found plenty of areas that needed tightening. In some cases, we had the right policies but hadn’t formalised them in a way that met B Corp’s standards. In others, we had to make genuine changes—rethinking supplier policies, measuring our environmental impact more rigorously. Taking care of our digital footprint has been a real focus area for us from introducing digital spring clean days and recycling our old computer hardware through the charity, Every Child Online, which is tackling digital poverty in the UK.
One of the biggest surprises was the speed of the final assessment. Assessors asked for clarifications with tight turnaround times—sometimes within hours, not days. In a fast-paced client services business, that was a challenge. There were moments when it felt relentless, with requests coming in thick and fast when we were already managing client deadlines and running a business – the leadership team was involved throughout. But in some ways, that was reassuring. The level of questioning proved that certification isn’t just a rubber stamp—it’s hard for everyone.
B Corp is evolving. Inquiry has intensified. For us, this scrutiny is a good thing. It forces B Corps, including ourselves, to prove we’re not just wearing the badge, but consistently living by its principles. That means being transparent about where we’re succeeding—and where we still have work to do. It means embedding sustainability into decision-making, not just in our marketing. Updating our job descriptions to include environmental and sustainability responsibilities, including a section on living B Corp values in our appraisal forms for instance. It also means measuring impact properly, from Scope 3 emissions to diversity policies.
Certification is just the start though. Clients have sought our support in sustaining employee engagement initiatives post-certification to maintain momentum. So it is about continuous improvement, from tracking our digital footprint to constantly reviewing our supplier base. Being a B Corp PR Agency doesn’t make us perfect. There are trade offs and commercial realities to grapple with. But it does mean we approach those challenges with a framework that doesn’t just prioritise profit.
The impact goes beyond internal processes. One of the biggest benefits has been the conversations it has sparked—with clients, suppliers, and even prospective hires. We’ve seen an increase in businesses wanting to work with us precisely because of our commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. Some clients have asked for guidance on their own B Corp journeys, and we’ve had discussions about sustainability that perhaps wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
Attracting talent has also been a major upside. Many people who want to work in PR today—especially in sustainability communications—care deeply about the values behind the businesses they join. Being a B Corp PR Agency sends a clear message that we don’t just talk about purpose-driven business; we live it. From B Corp snacks in the office, to our certified IT supplier, the bike to work scheme, it’s become part of how we define our culture, shaping decisions from recruitment to leadership development.
And while the investor panel did not come out 100% in favour of B Corp certification being critical in investment decision-making, 50% did say it was a factor. And that’s positive progress.
